The recent release of Dhaka University’s admission test results in March revealed a surprising statistic: only six percent of test-takers qualified for the science unit out of a total of 120,488 students. With just 7,437 candidates passing for the 1,896 available seats, the competitive nature of the university became evident. Despite the completion of admissions, resumption of classes, and internal transfers, the university found that 505 out of 6,135 seats remained unfilled, particularly affecting faculties such as applied chemistry, electrical and electronic engineering, leather technology, physics, as well as language courses like Urdu, Pali, and Sanskrit.
The underlying issues of this situation can be attributed to two key factors. Firstly, the educational system that feeds into the tertiary system is in disarray. Secondly, student disinterest in certain disciplines warrants further investigation. Decades of neglect, misplaced priorities, and grade inflation have adversely impacted the education system, as evidenced by the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, which indicates that a student completing 12 years of schooling in Bangladesh achieves only 6.3 learning-adjusted years, equivalent to a Grade 7 international benchmark. This aligns with the low pass rates seen in both the admission tests and the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, which recorded the lowest pass rate in 16 years.
The cognitive development of the youth has been stifled by the education system at a time when the country should be leveraging its demographic advantages. The readiness of students for higher education is questionable, reflected in the surplus of vacant seats in state-funded public institutions. Concurrently, unsuccessful students often transition to private education, seeking pre-university courses to address their learning deficiencies, highlighting a disparity in access to knowledge based on affordability.
The primary cause of the education crisis can be attributed to inadequate investment, with less than two percent of GDP allocated for education. This has led to a shortage of qualified teachers in schools and educational institutions, forcing educators to work part-time due to financial constraints. Consequently, the rise of coaching centers, private tutoring, and question-paper leaks has created parallel systems. Students now resort to memorization and exam shortcuts rather than focusing on genuine learning experiences.
University admission tests, designed to assess analytical skills, expose the shortcomings of students who rely on exam strategies rather than critical thinking abilities. The National Student Assessment (NSA) reports consistently highlight deficiencies in foundational competencies, with declining proficiency in subjects like mathematics and Bangla over the years. Grade inflation and data manipulation have further exacerbated the situation, masking structural weaknesses in the education system.
The prevailing culture of prioritizing pass rates and GPA scores has obscured the true educational landscape, prompting a reevaluation of assessment procedures. The overreliance on numeric achievements like GPA 5 has undermined the importance of genuine learning and critical thinking skills. The consequences of policies like “auto-pass” during the pandemic have underscored the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the education system to promote resilience and reflective learning.
The current educational predicament in Bangladesh reflects a systemic failure to instill resilience and critical thinking, perpetuating a culture of entitlement and complacency. The need for a curriculum that fosters intellectual growth and independent thinking is paramount to bridge the gap between local education standards and global benchmarks. It is imperative to shift the focus from mere academic performance to holistic development for the betterment of future generations.